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This guide applies to Apple devices

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About OS Update Delay and Enforcement

To maintain a consistent software update schema across your organization, you can defer software updates and choose when they’ll automatically be installed. There are two places you’ll want to configure this: Software Update profile and Apple Restrictions profile from within your Library.

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How It Works

Iru Endpoint provides flexible options for managing OS updates:
  • Delay periods - Configure how long to wait before enforcing updates
  • Enforcement policies - Set automatic or manual enforcement rules
  • User notifications - Keep users informed about pending updates
  • Compliance tracking - Monitor which devices have successfully updated

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Software Update Library Item

You can use the Software Update Library Item to manage downloading, installing, and deferring updates. This is a great way to make sure that, at minimum, security updates are being automatically installed on all of your devices.
The Software Update Library Item is supported on macOS, iOS 18.0+, iPadOS 18.0+, tvOS 18.4+, and visionOS 26+.

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Create a Software Update Library Item

To add this Library Item to your Iru Endpoint Library, follow the steps outlined in the Library Overview article.

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Configure the Software Update Library Item

1

Name the profile

Give your software update profile a Name.
2

Assign to Blueprints

Assign to your desired Blueprints.
3

Configure automatic updates

Select your desired settings for Automatic Updates.
4

Configure Software Update Deferrals

Under Software Update Deferrals, in the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Vision only settings section, check Defer updates.
5

Set deferral period

Set Defer for to the number of days (1–90).
6

Set recommended cadence

Set Recommended cadence to All, Oldest, or Newest to specify how software updates are shown to the user.
7

Configure macOS deferrals

Under Mac only settings, select Defer macOS updates by type from the dropdown.
8

Set deferrals for each macOS update type

For each option you enable, set Defer for to the number of days (1–90):
  • Defer major macOS upgrades: Delays software upgrades on the device; upgrades appear only after the specified delay following release.
  • Defer minor macOS upgrades: Delays software updates only (not upgrades or Rapid Security Response); updates appear only after the specified delay following release.
  • Defer other system updates: Delays non-operating system updates; they appear only after the specified delay following release.
9

Configure beta program enrollment (Optional)

Under Other, in iPhone, iPad, Mac only settings, set Beta program enrollment:
  • Not configured: Do not manage beta enrollment from this Library Item. Use this when Managed OS or ADE handles beta enrollment and version enforcement.
  • Disallow: Prevent users from enrolling in beta programs from Software Update settings. See Restrict Access to Beta OS Releases.
  • Offer: Present one or more beta programs so users can opt in on the device.
  • Enforce: Enroll the device in a selected beta program without requiring a specific beta OS version. To enforce a specific beta version, keep this setting as Not configured and use Managed OS.
Offer and Enforce are supported on macOS 15.4+ and iOS/iPadOS 18.0+. When you choose Offer or Enforce, select the Beta programs to apply. See Testing Apple Beta Releases for which option to use.
10

Save the configuration

Click Save in the bottom right corner.

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Apple Restrictions Library Item

The Defer software updates section in the Apple Restrictions Library Item is deprecated as of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, tvOS 27, and macOS 27. Use the Software Update Library Item instead.
Under OS Updates in the Apple Restrictions Library Item, the Defer software updates option delays user visibility of software updates for a specified number of days (up to 90). iPhone and iPad devices require Supervision. For Mac computers, Iru Endpoint recommends using a Software Update Library Item and deferring updates by specific types. For step-by-step configuration, see the Configure the Software Update Library Item section above.

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Block Beta & Standard Upgrades

The native options for blocking beta updates are also enabled using the Software Update Library Item in your Blueprints. Set Beta program enrollment to Disallow, or see Restrict Access to Beta OS Releases. Due to this change, the App Blocking Library Item can’t block these upgrades. The only circumstance when the App Blocking Library Item will block the update is when it’s downloaded from the Mac App Store. Learn more about Restricting Access to Beta OS Releases. The following examples are specific to macOS Sonoma, macOS Sequoia, and macOS Tahoe. For each release, you’ll need to update each setting with the relevant info specific to that release. This will only block the installer if it’s downloaded from the App Store and won’t block the update in Software Update. Tahoe - Public Release
  • Process name: Install macOS Tahoe
    • Match Type: Contains
  • Path: /Applications/Install macOS Tahoe.app
    • Match Type: Contains
  • Bundle ID: com.apple.InstallAssistant.macOSTahoe
    • Match Type: Exact
Sequoia - Public Release
  • Process name: Install macOS Sequoia
    • Match Type: Contains
  • Path: /Applications/Install macOS Sequoia.app
    • Match Type: Contains
  • Bundle ID: com.apple.InstallAssistant.macOSSequoia
    • Match Type: Exact
Sonoma - Public Release
  • Process name: Install macOS Sonoma
    • Match Type: Contains
  • Path: /Applications/Install macOS Sonoma.app
    • Match Type: Contains
  • Bundle ID: com.apple.InstallAssistant.macOSSonoma
    • Match Type: Exact

Testing Apple Beta Releases

Choose ADE, Managed OS, or Software Update for Apple beta enrollment

OS Update Strategies: OS Deferral Restriction and Managed OS

Compare different OS update management strategies

Restrict Access to Beta OS Releases

Prevent users from installing beta OS releases

Configure Managed OS for macOS

Configure managed OS updates for Mac computers

Configure Managed OS for iOS, iPadOS and tvOS

Configure managed OS updates for iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS devices